How to Care for Bromeliad Plants

Bromeliads are valued for their exotic foliage and outstanding blooms.  Bromeliads are superb potted plants, easy to care for and will bloom for long periods of time, if you provide them with the proper care.

Begin by selecting a spot where your bromeliad will receive the right light. Bromeliads thrive in areas where they will get lots of bright, filtered light or indirect light, but won't be exposed to direct sun. Another important consideration is room temperature. Bromeliads do best when the room temperature is between 55° and 85°.

Bromeliads are tropical plants and as such, love humidity. An easy way to increase the humidity around each plant is to make a pebble tray. Simply add small rocks to a saucer, then fill with water. Place your bromeliad on the rocks, making sure the bottom of the pot is above the water in the saucer.

Speaking of water, watering your bromeliad is a little different that watering your other houseplants.

Bromeliad leaves generally grow out of a central cup or vase. When you water, you'll want to water directly into this cup or central vase.

Add enough water to fill the vase to overflowing. The excess will trickle down and moisten the compost below. Refresh the vase water every 2 weeks or so by emptying the vase and adding new water. It's best to use water that is at room temperature. You can do this by letting a container of water sit out overnight. This will bring it to room temperature and also help dissipate some of the chlorine in our water.

As bromeliads age, they often produce new shoots at their base. These baby bromeliads are called pups and as they mature, you can harvest them and start new bromeliad plants.

With their intense color and interesting foliage, bromeliads offer a "touch of the tropics" to your home. Definitely a houseplant worth adding to your collection.  

Worm Composting Basics

Interested in turning your food scraps into compost? An easy way to do this is to start composting with worms.  Worm composting is also called  vermicomposting and offers many advantages. Done right, vermicomposting is clean, doesn't smell, doesn't take up a lot of space and doesn't cost a lot of money to get started.

Begin by selecting a container, such as this 5-gallon storage tote.

Worms don't like light, so the bin must be opaque and have a lid. Prepare the container by drilling a series of holes on the sides, bottom and the lid. This will allow the bin to "breathe" and drain properly.

Next, add 3" to 4" of bedding. You can use shredded newspaper, cardboard or coconut coir. The bedding needs to be soft. No sharp edges. Once you have the bedding ready, add water, then wring it out. It should be as wet as a damp sponge.

You're ready to add your worms. Buy red wiggler worms (Eisenia Foetida). They're the best for in home composting. Red wigglers can eat about half of their weight in food every day. This means if you start with a pound (16 ounces) of worms, you'll be able to feed them one half of a pound (8 ounces) of food scraps every day. A pound of worms is a lot of worms. You can start with a smaller amount and as your worms settle in, they will begin to reproduce and build up the population.

Red wiggler worm eggs (called cocoon) are smaller than a grain of rice and can be difficult to spot in your bin.  It takes about 23 days for a cocoon to hatch.

The newly hatched worms resemble white threads, but even at this stage, they're ready to go to work. You're ready to feed your worms. Start by burying some food scraps in the bedding.

Red wiggler worms will eat a variety of food, including fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, egg shells and tea bags. They love melon rinds! Don't feed your worms meat, kitchen oils or dairy products. Place your worm bin in a warm spot out of direct sunlight. Put the container inside of a tray or pan to catch any liquids that might drain out. 

Check on your worm bin regularly. If you catch the worms trying to escape, it means the bedding is to wet. Cut down on the food and crack the lid to let more air in.

In a short time, your worms will have transformed leftover table scraps into rich compost, which you can use to feed your houseplants or improve your garden soil.  

Creating a Miniature Garden

Creating a miniature container garden is a great way to satisfy your urge to plant something while it's still winter outside. You can make wonderful container gardens with many of the features your outdoor garden has.  The secret is to think small. Begin by selecting a theme for your miniature container garden.

This one is titled "Life is better with friends", but you may choose to build one around an English cottage, a beach scene or a playground for fairies. The theme you choose is limited only by your imagination. Once you've decided on a theme, sketch out your miniature garden on a piece of paper. This will help you locate plants and accessories, as well as determine how large of a container you'll need.

Containers come in many shapes, textures and colors.

A key requisite is the container has drainage. Other than that, any container will do. Once you've settled on a container, add an even layer of layer of potting soil. The soil should be moist. If it's dry, then add water to hydrate it.

Now, you're ready to plant. Two things to remember. First, choose plants that will complement your design. Second, pick plants that will complement each other. That is, the plants you choose should have similar light and water requirements. 

When you visit our greenhouse, you’ll discover an entire section of plants dedicated to terrarium and miniature gardens. These are plants that will typically stay small and not overgrow your miniature garden. You’ll also find a wide selection of plant types and colors.

As a rule, you’ll want to place taller plants in the back of the garden and shorter plants toward the front. If you have any question regarding which plants work well together, please ask us. We’ll be glad to help you.

Accessorizing your miniature garden is next and again, you’re looking for items which will build on the theme you’ve chosen. 

From bridges, to cottages, to fairies, there are any number of accessories available. Once completed, you need to locate the garden where it will receive bright light, but not direct sun.

Miniature gardens are easy to design and build. With an idea, a container, soil, plants and accessories, anyone can experience the enjoyment of miniature container gardening.  

Orchid Growing Tips

Growing Orchids as Houseplants 

One of the most common and popular orchids is the Phalaenopsis orchid, also called a moth orchid. Phalaenopsis orchids are great starter orchids and will do just fine if you provide the right light and don't over-water the plant. Phalaenopsis need bright, indirect light. 

An east-facing window would be an ideal location. West and south-facing locations will work, if you keep the orchid out of direct sun. If the leaves on your orchid start to turn lime green or look singed, they're getting too much direct light. 

In addition to light, correct watering is essential to the health of your orchid. Phalaenopsis like to be watered and then allowed to dry out slightly, before you water them again. As a rule of thumb, water your orchids about once a week. If possible, use water that is room temperature and avoid watering the center of the plant. How often you water depends on whether your orchid is potted in bark or moss. Generally, orchids arrive in a clear plastic container filled with moss or bark. Orchids potted in moss won't need to watered as frequently as orchids potted in bark.

When you see problems like this, you're probably not watering right. Best bet. Let them soak in the sink until the bark is good and wet then put them back in their location by the east window.

You can repot your orchid into a more attractive container, once it's stopped blooming.  Ceramic and clay pots work fine. Often, they will have slits or holes in the side of the pot. This is to help air circulation around the roots.  Once you are ready to repot your orchid, select a container that is

slightly larger than the original pot. Orchids like to be "snug" in their pots. Next, use a bark orchid mix designed especially for your plant to thrive in. Position the orchid so it is at the same level it was in the old pot. 

Feed your orchids sparingly this time of year, usually every 2 to 3 weeks. When you do feed them, make sure the bark is wet before you add the fertilizer. 

Flowers will fall off as they begin to fade. If not, you can snip them off. Don't be in a hurry to cut back the flower stalk, once your orchid has stopped blooming.

Your orchid will often send up a second set of flowers on the old stalk.   Orchids are tougher, hardier and more adaptable than most people think and with a little care, your orchid will thrive and flower for many years to come.